Key findings: P6141.2 - Wholesale trade sales, December 2018

Sales at constant 2015 prices: results for December 2018

Measured in real terms (constant 2015 prices), wholesale trade sales increased by 0,7% in 2018 compared with 2017 – see Table 2. In December 2018 wholesale trade sales decreased by 4,6% year-on-year.

Seasonally adjusted wholesale trade sales decreased by 7,3% in December 2018 compared with November 2018. This followed month-on-month changes of -1,4% in November 2018 and -0,4% in October 2018.

In the fourth quarter of 2018, seasonally adjusted wholesale trade sales decreased by 2,7% compared with the third quarter of 2018.

Sales at current prices: results for December 2018

Measured in nominal terms (current prices), wholesale trade sales increased by 0,3% in December 2018 compared with December 2017. The main positive contributors were dealers in:

  • machinery, equipment and supplies (21,9% and contributing 2,5 percentage points); and
  • solid, liquid and gaseous fuels and related products (10,6% and contributing 2,3 percentage points).
  • The main negative contributors were dealers in:

  • food, beverages and tobacco (-10,7% and contributing -2,2 percentage points); and
  • 'other' goods (-22,1% and contributing -2,1 percentage points).
  • Wholesale trade sales increased by 7,6% in the fourth quarter of 2018 compared with the fourth quarter of 2017. The main contributors to this increase were dealers in:

  • solid, liquid and gaseous fuels and related products (23,6% and contributing 4,9 percentage points); and
  • machinery, equipment and supplies (25,0% and contributing 3,0 percentage points).